Why is water transparent?
Talk about it together
What would you like to look at through a clear bowl of water?
What about...?
Ask your child's own question
Transcript
Why can we see through water? Let's wonder together!
Light shines onto a glass of clean water. Most of the light goes right through it.
Water is made of tiny, tiny bits. They let many kinds of light pass by.
Your eyes catch the light after it comes through. That is why clear water looks see-through!
So that's why water is transparent: most light can travel through clean water. Then our eyes can see things on the other side!
For grown-ups: the science
Water is transparent because most light can pass through it.
Liquid water absorbs relatively little visible light over short distances, so much visible light is transmitted and objects can be seen through clean water. Water does absorb some colors more than others, which helps large, deep bodies of water often look blue or blue-green. Clouds, dirt, bubbles, or tiny particles scatter light and make water look less clear.